Buttonhole-sewing machine.



F. ZALESKI.

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6. IBIS Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

\nvenTor FranK ZcflesKi.

Aflys.

F. ZALESKI.

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6.1915.

Patented J an. 30, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Inventor. FrunK ZalesKi, b wmkf AHy's.

I @TAT% FA FRANK ZALESKI, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE REECE BUTTON HOLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF MAINE.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS A CORPORATION OF nuzrronnotn-snwms MAC INE.

attice.

Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

Application filed July 6, 1915. Serial No. 38,185.

ing machines and has for its objects to provide'a novel workclam'p which is simple in the Reece construction and operates to clamp the work and hold under tension that portion thereof in which the buttonhole is to be, formed, and, also to provide a novel means for cutting the upper and underthread at the end of the stitching operation on a buttonhole, and for clamping or" gripping the severed end of the upper threadso as to hold it while'the stitching operation is commenced on the next succeeding buttonhole.

While my invention is capable of use with buttonhole sewlng machines of different types, 1 have herein chosen to illustrate it as it might be embodied in a buttonhole sewing machine of the so-called Reece type, examples of which are to be found in'the following United States patents: No. 494,280, dated March 28, 1893; No. 655,637, dated August 7, 1900;-No. 1,030,589, dated June 25, 1912.

In order to give an understanding of my invention 1 will now describe a selected embodiment thereof and will then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side view of a portion of a buttonhole sewing machine of type having my improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the Work clamp showing the thread-cutting and clamping devices; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the parts in the position they assume just prior to the cutting and clamping of the thread; Fig. 4 is a section on the lin 4- Fig. 3; Fig. 5 .is a section on the line 5-5, Fig. 3;Fig. 6 is a plan view of a portion of the under clamping member; Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7, Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is a side view of Fig. 3; Fig.

9 is a plan view of the thread-gripping member.

Sewing machinesof the so-called Reece type such as are illustrated in the abovementioned patents, are provided with a clamp framel having work-clamping means and a so-c-alled stitch frame 2 which carries the stitch-forming instrumentalities which are usually in the form of an upper and under thread mechanism. The upper thread mechanism includes the needle bar 3 carrying the needle 4 which controls the upper thread 5, said needle bar not only having the usual reciprocating motion, but also a rotative motion to effect the stitching around the ends of the buttonhole, such rotative motion being given from the shaft 6 which carries a sector 7 meshing with a pinion 8 through which the needle bar operates. The under thread mechanism which is also carried by the stitch frame is provided with suitable means for controlling the under thread 9 1 and concatenating it with'the upperthread and includes in its construction a throatplate 10 through which the threadv passes. The parts as thus far described are or may be all as shown in'the above-mentioned patents and as they form no part of my present invention 1 have not deemed it necessary to further illustrate them.

In the construction shown in the abovementioned patents the work-clamping means comprises two clamp plates and two work- 'clamping members movable toward and from the clamp plates and operating to clamp the work between them. The two clamp plates, as well as the two work-clamping members, are arranged to present a space between them in which the stitch-forming instrumentalities operate to stitch the buttonhole, and said devices are constructed so that when the machine is started the workclamping members will be moved toward the clamping plates thereby to clamp the work between them and then the clamp plates will be separated slightly to place the portion of the work in which the buttonhole is to be stitched under tension.

.element provided with an aperture thro h which the-stitching instruinentalities 0]??? ate to stitch the buttonhole and which have .co6.perating means" that result in stretching the portion of the work spanning said aper ture when the two members are brought into at 15150 the plate .13; "This arm ll is similar in construction to the arms illustrated in the above-mentioned'patents that carry the Work clamps, and it has integral-therewith the hook-shaped" extension '16. that 'is engaged one qfthe clamping members with a tension-. ing rib or flange surrounding the aperture;

operative clamping position relative tov each other. 4

The under work-clamping member shown at 11, and the upper member at 12.

The.under clampingmember is shown as see, cured to a plate'13 which is removably sus tained on the clamp frame in a, manner simi- I 'lar to that in whichzthe clamp plates of the above-mentioned patents are retained in p0 sition. 'Theupper clamping-member 12.is

secured to andcarried-by an arm'ltpivotedby an element (notshowni) forming part ofthe usual means by. which-the wqrk clamps are raised and lowered, saidmeahs'. operating as described in the above-mentioned-patcuts to depress the arml and thus bring the upper clamping member into operative position automatically when the machine is started. The under clamping member 11 is provided with an aperture 18 of'a size .cprre-' sponding to the bu'ttonhole to be,stitched.

and the upper clamping member .12 is pro vided with a similar aperture 19, said apertures forming the space through which'the stitchrforming instrumentalities operate to effect the stitches. 3

"In'th'e operation of a .buttonhole sewing machine it is'essential'that the portion of the work w inwhich the buttonhole' is to be fstitchedshould be heldtightened or under some-f tension during the stitching operation, and I provide for subjecting the work to:the'required tension by providing and which fits iuto the aperture in the other clampingmember. In the present embodi- -ment of my invention this tensioning flange is formed on the upper clamping member 12 and is'shown at 20, it being formed immediately circumjacent the aperture 19 and'extendnig entirely thereabout. The a erture 18 intheunder member is of su cientl size to receive the tensioning flange 20,

as shown 'in Fig. 4.When the work is placed between the clamping members andthe upper member is closed down onto the lower member, the tensioning flange 20 en-- gages the upper face of the work andforces the portion thereof spanning the aperture and in which the buttonhole is to be formed down through the aperture 18, and by this operation such. portion of the work is placed hole,

hole.

proper position to commence the stitching formation of the buttonhole -ber 12 has been released and under suflicienttensionso that-the buttonholestitching "will be properly formed therein.

Hhe work-clamping membershave associated therewith means for severing the up perand under thread and for gripping or 'clainping the severed end of the upper thread. This thread-cutting. and clamping mechanismis constructed to operate'at'the end of the stitchingoperation on the buttonbut before the machine has been brought to rest.

It will be understood by referring to the above-mentioned'patents that the buttonhole sewing machines illustrated therein are so constructed that when the machine is set I .in' operation: the stitch I frame and clamp frame have a. movement relative to each a during Whichmovement the work is clamped and the stitch-forming instrumed talities are" brought intojproper position to begin stitching operations. on vthe button:- This isillustrated in Fi 1 wherein the full line. position of the nee le bar shows other before the stitching operation begins,

the position 'of the partswhen the machine is'a't rest and; thedotteddine shows'the relative position when} thestitch-foming instrumentaliti'es have been brought ,into.

onthebutt'dnhole. During the stitching of .the buttonhple the clamp frame and stitch frame have a further relative movementto carrythe stitches down one side'of the;but'- tonhole, "around "theend thereof and bacln up the other .side of the buttonhole,- and when the buttonhole is completed,-the stitch- 1 ing instrumentalities are brought -to rest "with the needle t-"raised and inwappro'xi mately thedott'ed line position Fig. 1. The,

stitch frame andclamp frame then have a further relative movement to" restore the parts to-the fullfllineposition .Fig. 1, during which time the upper clamping member 12' is released and elevated; thereby. un

clamping the work.

improved thread-cutting and clamp ing mechanismis designed so that it is renably. mounted in a guideway 22 formed on the under clamping memberv and coiiperatin'g with a cutting block 23 fixedly secured to the-under clamping member. be under cla ping member is provided with a threadreceiving slot'or groove 24 in the end of the op ning 18 which is closed normally by the cutting' blade 21 when the latter is resting against the cutting block 23. When the cutter 21 is withdrawn from the cutting block 23, however, this slot 24: is opened for the reception of the threads. I

It will be understood that when the stitching operation on a buttonhole is completed and the stitch-forming mechanism is in the dotted line position Fig. 1, the under thread thread extending from the work through the throat-plate l and around a looper element of the under thread mechanism and back to the work again. The under thread 9, of

course, extends directly from the work through the throat-plate to the under thread mechanism. Hence both the upper the frames.

thread 5 and the under thread 9 extend from the work w, through the throat-plate.

As stated above, after, the stitching on the buttonhole is completed the stitch frame and work frame have a relative movement into the full line position Fig. 1, and during such relative movement the loop of upper thread and the under thread 9 are drawn into the thread-receiving slot 24, the cutter 21 having been withdrawn to uncover said slot during such final relative movement of After the upper and under thread have entered the slot 24, the cutter 21 is given its thread-cutting movement to sever the threads. The means for operating the cutter 21 are actuated by the final relative movement between the stitch frame and clamp frame. This cutter 21 is shown as pivotally connected at 26 to a lever 27 that is pivoted at 28 to the plate 13, said lever being acted upon by a spring 29 that gives the cutter its thread-cutting movement and yieldingly holds it against the cutting block 23.

The stitch frame has secured thereto an arm or projection 30'iormed with a nose 31 that is situated to engage a roll 32 carried by the end or the lever 27. This arm 30 is so constructed that when the stitch frame and clamp frame are in the relative position shown in dotted lines Fig. 1, the nose 31 will be closely adjacent the roll 32 as seen in Fig. 2. As a result, when the stitch frame and clamp frame have their final relative movement the nose 31 engages the roll 32 and wipes by the latter, thus swinging the lever 27 against the action ofthe spring 29 and withdrawing the cutter 21 so as to uncover the slot 24. The threads then enter said slot and before the stitch frame and clamp trains complete their final relative 'sition,

movement, the nose 31 has wi ed by the roll 32 and released the.lever 27, thus permitting the spring 29 to move the cutter 21 forwardly against the block 23 thereby severing both the upper and under threads.

Means are provided for gripping the upper thread simultaneously with the cutting of the threads, and such thread-gripping means is herein shown as associated with the upper clamping member 12. This upper clamping 'member 12 is formed with the groove 33 at the front of the aperture 19.

34 designates a thread-gripping member slidably mounted in ways in the upper 7 clamping member 12, said member 34: being situated at the front of the aperture 19 and normally closing the groove 33. This member 34 is provided with a notch 35 which is adapted to be brought in line with the groove 33 when said member is moved laterally. Said member 34: is acted upon by a suitable spring 36 which tends normally to hold it in! the position shown in Fig.2, and said member is acted upon by a lever 37 pivoted at 33 to the arm 1d. The lever 27 is provided with an arm 39 which'is adapted to engage the lever 37 as the lever 27 moves, thereby turning the lever 37 in a direction to move the threadgripping member 3 1- against the spring and into a position to bring the notch 35 therein in line with the groove 33,

as shown in Fig. 3. The construction is such that when the clamping plate 12 is in its operative work-clamping position, the lever 37 will be situated below the arm 39, as shown in full lines Fig. 8, but when the work clamp has been released and is in its elevated open position the lever 37 is in position to be engaged by the arm 39 as the lever 27 is operated, as seen by dotted lines Fig. 8. Tt will be seen, therefore, that when the stitch ing operation on the buttonhole has been completed and the work clamps have been released and'brought into their elevated pothe movement of the stitch frame from the dotted to the full line position .Fig. 1 will operate to swing the lever 27,

as above described, thereby cutting the upthe action of i per and under threads. This same movement of the lever 27 causes-the arm. 39 to engage the lever 37 thereby moving the thread gripping member 34 into position to bring the notch 35 therein in line with the groove 33. ifhen this occurs, the portion of the upper thread 5 extending from the needle td the work will be drawn into the notch 35 as the stitch frame 2 continues its forward movement. Just prior to the com.- pletion of the forward movement of the stitch frame the nose 31 of the arm 30 passes oil from the roll 32 thereby releasing the lever 27 and the spring 36 then moves the thread-gripping member 3% into the position shown in Fig. 2, thereby carrying the notch 35 out or alinement with the groove tion before the stitch frame and clamp frame have their relative movement and hence when during such initial relative movement the nose 31 wipes by the roll 32, the resultant movementof the lever 27 is effected without o eratin the thread ip in member be-v P g gr P g cause at this time the lever 37 is in a plane below the arm 39 and the latter merely swings over the'lever 37. The upper thread will, therefore, .be held by the thread-grip ping meansduringthe operation of the en-' tire buttonhole and until the stitching operation has been c hole. w

I claim: 7 y

1. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with upper and under'thread mechanism, of work-clamping means comprising 'two clamping members. between which the work is held continuously clamped during a predetermined stitching operation, means carried by one of said members for cutting the upper thread, and means carried by the otherof said members for clamping the severed end of the upper thread.

' 2. 'Ina buttonhole sewing machine, the

combination with upper'and under thread mechanism, of work-clamping means comprising two clamping members between which the work is clamped, means carried byone of said members for cutting both the combination withupper a upper and the under thread, and means carried by the other of said members for clamping the severed end of the upper thread.

3. .In a buttonhole sewing machine, the

mechanism, of work-clamping-means comprising an upper and an under clamping member betweenwhich the work is held continuously clamped while a .plurality of stitches are being formed, means carried by the under clamping member for cutting the upper thread, and meanscarried by the upper member for clamping the upper thread. 4. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with upper and under thread mechanism, of work-clamping means com prising an upper and an under clamping member between which the work is clamped, means carried by the under clamping member for cuttingboth the upper and the underthread, and means carried by the upper member for clamping the severed endof the upper thread.

ompleted on the buttonunder thread is clamped, said stitch by the clamp frame and presenting two clamping members, a thread-cutting device carried by one clamping member, an upper thread clamping device carried by the other clamping member, and means actuated by the relative movement of said frames to operate said cutting and-. clamping devices to" cut the upper thread and clamp the severed end thereof at the endof a stitching oper ation.

6. In a buttbnhole sewing machine, the combination With a stitch frame carrying upper and under stitch-forming mechanism, of a clamp frame, said frames being movable relative to .each other, a Work clamp carried by'the clamp frame and presenting upper and under clamping members, a'device carried by the underclamping member for cutting the upper thread, a device carriedby the upper member forclamping the severed end of the upper thread, and means.

actuated the relative movement ofsaid frames to operate said devices.

7. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the

combination with a stitch frame carrying upper and'underthreadmechanism, of a clamp frame, said frames being movable relative to each other, a Work clamp carried by the clamp frame and presenting upper and under clamping members, a cutting knife slidably mountedon the under clamp ing member, a thread-clamping device slid ably mounted on the upper clamping member, and means actuated. by the relative movement of said frames to operate 'saiddevices. y

8. In a sewing machine, the combination vwith a stitch frame carrying upper and-under thread mechanism, of work-clamping means comprising -two clamping members .betweenwhich the Work is'clamped, said stitch frame and work-clamping means having'a' movement relative to each-other after the needle has been brought to rest upon the completion of a predetermined stitching operation, means carried-by ing members for cutting the upper thread, means carried by the other of said. clamping members for clamping the severed end of the .upper thread, and means operated by the relative one of the clamp-- movement between the stitch,

frame and work-clamping means to actuate upper and under thread mechanism, of

work clamping means comprising two clamping members between which the work frame and work- 'the thread-cutting and thread clamping clamping means having a relative movement upon the completion of a predetermined stitching operation, a device carried by one of the clamping members for cutting both the upper and the under thread, a device carried by the other of said clamping members for clamping the severed end of the upper thread, and means actuated by the relative movement of the stitch frame and work-clamping means vices.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

FRANK ZALESKI.

to actuate said de- 10 

